Top Banana!

The last time I fished Orchid Lake was in June 2009 when I came away with some nice fish from off the bottom and top. In late November, however, I put aside 48 hours for my first trip back, arriving just before dark on the Sunday afternoon so that I could get set up. I know most of the swims at Orchid like the back of my hand so it didn’t take me long to get three rods out. I was in the swim known as Island Dug Out with a set of dying lilies to my left and a large island at 50 yards straight in front. There’s a few good spots to the right, too, including silt and gravel, but the two main areas worth focusing on at this time of the year are the lilies and the island. The lilies especially hold carp throughout the year, and it was here where I decided to put two rods for the first night.

I had the rods in place for 5pm all on tiny 6mm Top Banana hookbaits over seed. With the carp being so active in the pads I had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before something happened, and only a short while later a good fish crashed not far from my middle rod. Despite a forecast of cold and driving rain in the region, I sensed that for once I’d timed my trip perfect and less than an hour later the first fish was on! A scrappy battle followed amongst the outer edges of the lilies and it was clear a dynamite double was on the end. The next morning a hard battling 22lb mirror followed, and then a few hours later I was in with a really heavily scaled mirror and a cracking 28lb the next day, all on the little 6mm hookbaits. It was a great return to a venue that I hold dear to my heart.

Always wanting to make the most of a good thing, I was back down a few days later, after I’d got some work out of the way. Amazingly the fish were still in the swim and I was able to get back into it. Arriving at first light, by the end of the first day, I had one of my target fish on the bank, a mirror known as Sampson which is one of the oldest carp in the lake. This particular fish has been around for a very long time, even making the cover of Carp-Talk way back in the mid-1990s. At its heaviest weight, it has been as high as mid-30s, but on this occasion it went 29lb 8oz.

My lucky roll continued with an absolute corker weighing just over thirty at 30lb 4oz the next day. This one came right on packing up time when I had everything packed away apart from the essentials!

                Another trip to the lake a couple of days later saw me land a cracking 29lb 2oz heavily scaled mirror. This fish looking stunning in its full winter colours. Sadly the cold weather put an end to something good, although I’m sure the fish had moved out after I landed the 29lb 2oz. I’m itching to get back down once the weather warms up, and I’m certain the Top Bananas will continue to produce the goods!

Check out the latest Orchid Lake news at www.orchid-lakes.com or telephone Marsh Pratley on 01865 341810.